[Closed] Thick thin ring - I stand corrected

Funnily I couldn't get one- all sold out so tried a superstar top guide, with my old XTR rear mech and nothing else- the chain stays firm 😀

Is this the same as the narrow/ wide chain retention rings you can get? Been thinking bout one as my single ring upfront is forever shedding the chain.

Ha!

Next you'll be telling us 27.5" wheels are better too, thin end of the wedge that is

lol

Funnily I couldn't get one- all sold out

I got a Works components one other day, or at least I hope I did. No word from them yet for dispatch..

Works are just about to restock I think.

Don't think anyone'd fault you for doubting it, they're kind of uncanny and unconvincing til you've used one!

Not dropped my chain once in 200 miles. I still wonder how long it will last once it starts to wear, but it seems we are all in the same boat....

They are great! Not run a front guide since fitting. No dropped chains.
I've noticed that the thin teeth are wearing faster. Lets see what winter does to it.
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Works are just about to restock I think.

26th Sept for 32 and 34t according to their website.
V tempted I must say!

I'm a convert too. Even works with a 9 speed set up on a hardtail. Impressed how even in the lowest gear, and the alignment to the chainring is less than perfect, that it still doesn't drop the chain.

Converted.... but still want a 30t one 🙁

Rob is it on a hardtail or bouncer?
Bet I could drop a chain with one and I'm not gonna spend £50 to find out.

Starts off with a thick/thin chainring ends up with delusions of grandeur.
😉

ska.

Mine is wearing like that too.
Most odd, you'd think the thick teeth would wear first.
I recon that it'll work for longer if the thick teeth take longer to wear though.

BETD goldtec make them in 32, 34, 36 so far

got one on a hard tail, no problems, one did 10 uplifts on an Orange Five at the week end, no chain drop.

Fitted a 30t Raceface ring last week before a trip to Exmoor

Gave it absolute beans on some big terrain, and even with a short cage mech which made the chain a bit slack (worried about killing a new mech at full chain growth) it didn't come of once

Very impressive - fully recommended

On a pitch in the peaks

Funnily I couldn't get one- all sold out so tried a superstar top guide, with my old XTR mech

Urrrrgh 😉

Fwiw I still think it's the clutch mech doing most of the chain-retention duties

SOAP - they're not £50.

I do believe you would be the first recorded incident of chain-dropping if you did so with a fat/fin clutch-mech combo... 🙂

Be interested to see how it wears - i took a stainless steel on-one chainring off last night after 8 months use and virtually no wear! Why does no one make a steel thick/thin?

Patriot pro....nope. I'm running nine speed with a long cage standard rear mech because that's what I had. Not even come close to dropping.

I think clutch mech just stops chain slap.

It's on a Krampus, so perhaps it's the silky smooth ride...... 😀

I've been running a 30T Raceface ring for the past month with a Zee rear mech on my Mojo HD. It's been great up until today when I dropped the chain twice at Hamsterley.

Why does no one make a steel thick/thin?

Because they'd take too long to wear out and you wouldn't buy so many. The price of them makes me stick with a chainguide. Works fine for me thanks.

Get you!

Andy - I maintain my stance on the issue! 8) Here's why:

Riding locally, usual rock-garden on a Spec Pitch, fin/fat and a clutch-mech. Gets to the bottom, and guess what... Chain had come off.

Reaches down to put it back on when I realised the clutch mech was switched off. 😯

Because steel rings are pressed, and you can't do the elaborate tooth profiles I'd guess.

Because they'd take too long to wear out and you wouldn't buy so many. The price of them makes me stick with a chainguide. Works fine for me thanks.

But with rings from works components at £35 and rf not far behind from usual online sources it is only the same price as any cnc 7075 ring.... No brainer surely?

Tbh i can see every manufacturer shifting to this type of design, there just doesnt seem to be a reason not to, even with a chainguide why not?

Because steel rings are pressed, and you can't do the elaborate tooth profiles I'd guess

Tbh i can see every manufacturer shifting to this type of design, there just doesnt seem to be a reason not to, even with a chainguide why not?

Because if mud collects around the teeth or the chain starts to get muddy the tight tolerance in the chain/ chainring interface combined with mud stops the chain sitting down on the teeth making a dropped chain very likely... I have had this happen even in the "Summer mud" although your mud may vary 🙂 The shape of the teeth an the tight tolerances make it hard for the chain to clear the mud off the teeth as with a normal tooth profile.

Also I have been told by manufacturers that KMC chains have very poor tolerances so are liable to fall off. SRAM or Shimano should apparently be fine. I am skeptical of anything requiring such tight tolerances to work well on a MTB subject to mud/ wear but continue to use my Narrow/ Wide and live with the dropped chain every 3-4 hours of riding. It is good, but I feel there can be improvements.

DanW - Member

Also I have been told by manufacturers that KMC chains have very poor tolerances so are liable to fall off. SRAM or Shimano should apparently be fine.

Eh, KMC make most of Shimano's chains, to a lower spec than their own. Lots of people using KMC chains on these rings, including me. Think you may have been given duff info there.

Mud gathering's an interesting one though, I've not found mine to be bad but it's not been through a winter yet so it's not seen every type of mud. The profile of the ring does have a couple of wee shelves on it, but as far as I can tell they're not actually functional- they're just the edge of the machining so they could be scalloped off to prevent mud buildup with a small revision.

All that said, I used to have problems with mud buildup because of the chain device, running without it's removed that entirely so far. Just need to hit it with some more flavours of mud 😉

I questioned the manufacturers advice on not using KMC chains too since I find KMC far more robust to our wonderful winters but they were adamant KMC's own chains are off spec "according to industry standards". Maybe KMC brand chains are the only ones getting chain making right was my reply 😉

If you think about it thick/thin ring tolerances are no different to a standard ring - it is only the thick tooth that is larger to take up more space inside the chains larger link - In my mind it would be to the same tolerance as a standard ring? (hard to explain)

Were talking really small tolerances here too i would expect, especially in terms of a chain in the mud/grit being twisted and run at strange angles as you change to different gears - I mean the difference between an 11spd and 10 speed chain internally is only 0.1mm.

I think tight tolerances is a bit of rubbish from manufacturers, though what you are saying about the mud would make sense - something i will keep an eye out for though we dont get really sticky mud here, more horrible watery, gritty loam that gets everywhere!

Fantastic things these 🙂 Good to hear they work on 9speed setup, as I was thinking about going single on the FS.
My HT with narrow/wide is using a KMC 10spd chain just fine.

Mine used with 9 speed and Non clutch mechs.

Re the mud thing, I mentioned this to my LBS a little while ago. The shop team were running XX1 all through last winter, with a SRAM thick/thin chainring and had no problems at all.

It is also worth noting that "thick thin" teeth profiles differs between manufacturers and have varying amount of chain grip if you can call it that. My particular issue is with the rings unsurprisingly claiming to be the gippiest. I suspect SRAM are a little more tolerant to mud than some others. Anyway, it is something to bear in mind if you live in sticky mud areas...